All the Patios of 17th Avenue S.W.

That’s right, all of them. We’ve listed the patios starting at 1st Street S.W. and ending at 14th Street S.W. There’s a lot of them — and we’re not even counting the restaurants around the corner from the main road.

By Karin Olafson and Alana Willerton

May 17, 2017

Cilantro's patio.

Photograph courtesy of Cilantro

If you always end up on the same patio when you’re on 17th Avenue S.W., it’s time to mix it up. To say there is variety for your alfresco dining along this stretch of road is an understatement.

At this French restaurant, the patio overlooks a park and Immanuel Church. The drink menu features an impressive selection of wine, so enjoy the peaceful space while sipping on a glass (or a whole bottle).

This is the patio to come for when you’re craving a late-night snack (or something a little more refined that a hot dog or poutine, like roasted bone marrow) and a cocktail. Bonus that you’re at one of the most celebrated restaurants in the city — and the country.

Take your date to this intimate patio — there are only a handful of seats on it, so you won’t have trouble hearing each other converse. Be sure to order something you haven’t tried before off its creative menu.

Visit this patio if you want to feel like you’re in a faraway place. The enclosed courtyard patio, surrounded by foliage and pretty nights at nighttime, feels as though it could be in a country village in Europe.

This Indian restaurant has a lovely front patio set against its bright green facade. But you can also try to snag a seat on the back patio, which is separated from the street by large cast iron boiler doors and features floral table cloths and a gorgeous plant wall.

If you need some shade after spending too much time in the sun — but still want to be outside — visit The Living Room’s shady patio. Don’t worry about getting chilly as it gets dark, because there’s an outdoor fireplace here.

Make plans to visit this patio on a Monday. It’s the only day of the week when diners can roll the dice to try and get their plank on the house. Roll evens, and the plank filled with meats, duck fat fries and a side won’t cost you a thing.

Cleaver's sister restaurant has a small patio with tables and heaters along the front of the restaurant, plus some outdoor bar seating along the east-side of the building's bright yellow exterior. Grab a seat on either to sip one of the inventive cocktails like the spiced horchata.

Ox and Angela re-opened as Ox Bar de Tapas last year. The restaurant still offers Spanish food like patatas bravas and braised octopus, but has a new look inside. The patio still works like it used to though — one side is covered and a little more private, while the other is open with a roll-down canopy.

Prepare to make some new friends if you’re planning on having a beer (or two) here because things get lively at the Ship and Anchor on weekends. Try to arrive somewhat early if you want to be one of the dozens of people on the Ship’s patio.

Market’s patio might be the best way to experience a Taco Tuesday. You’ll get a lot of sun, you’ll be surrounded by beautiful planter boxes and you’ll get a deal on your tacos The duck confit, tuna poke and barbecue pulled pork tacos are $3 each on Tuesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Blanco Cantina is one of the few spots on 17 Ave. S.W. with a daily happy hour — it runs from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. There's a big door between the patio and the restaurant is opened when it's nice out, so you can feed off the vibe coming from inside and from passersby on 17 Ave. S.W.

If you want to mingle with others while enjoying Trolley 5 beer, nachos or burgers, head to the ground-level patio. If you want to be away from the crowds but still have an alfresco dining experience, head upstairs. It’s not technically a patio up there, but the windows open wide and it feels like you’re sitting outside.

The last time that you visited this large, street-facing patio, it may have been Corbeaux Bakehouse. Now, it’s a restaurant from Teatro Group and you can order authentic French dishes here, like steak tartare and steamed mussels with frites.

It’s probably a good thing that this patio is somewhat secluded. That way only a few people are aware of just how long you’re spending here to make the most of its late night happy hour. (The flowers and herb garden are also perks — it’s not just about the pizza, after all.)

If you love sushi and you love eating it alfresco, head to this patio where there is picnic-style bench seating and plenty of fresh sushi. If you can get away for lunch during the work week, visit for the $12 lunch special here.

This restaurant is open late every day of the week. But if you’re more of an early bird than a night owl, know that Watchman’s also offers breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays that you can enjoy out on the street-facing patio.

This patio is a perfect-no-matter-what-time-of-day patio. Come in the morning and you can have breakfast on the patio. Come in the afternoon and you’ll soak up lots of sun. In the evening, you can take advantage of the late night happy hour that starts at 9 p.m.

When it’s patio season, sitting outside on the patio with a 12-piece bucket of fried chicken or a burger is an easy decision (especially on Monday, when a piece of fried chicken is $3). You can always head inside for a patio break to play skeeball or pop-a-shot.

You have a few options for alfresco dining at this pub. Sit on the south-facing streetside patio to be part of the 17th Avenue energy, or head upstairs to the rooftop patio. Both are great options if you’re here for its weekend brunch.